Donn McClean's Horses To Follow: January 16th - 21st

By Donn McClean  | 

Jan 21st, 2021 12:00 PM

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Broomfields Jeremy - Clonmel 19th Jan

6yo Gelding, Philip Dempsey

Noted after he was a staying-on third at Punchestown last month, Broomfields Jeremy is worthy of note again after the performance that he put up in winning the rated novices' hurdle at Clonmel on Tuesday. Held up early on by Robbie Power, he travelled well through his race on the heavy ground - he switched off nicely and his jumping was good.

Last of the 10 runners when they set off and about nine or 10 lengths behind the leader Conqueredalofeurope when they started down the back straight first time, he gradually moved his way through the field so that he was fifth and about four lengths behind the leader when they turned for home. Moved to the outside on the run to the second last flight, he actually landed in front at the obstacle, and he picked up impressively from there. He put five lengths between himself and his rivals by the time he reached the final flight, and he kept on well up the run-in to win by 13 lengths.

This was a seriously impressive performance by Philip Dempsey's horse. He was racing over two and a half miles for the first time at Punchestown on his previous run, and he saw out the trip well. He saw a similar trip out well again at Clonmel and, under a really nice patient ride from Robbie Power, he showed a turn of foot on the ground and over this trip. He was rated 117 going into this rated race and, while the handicapper will obviously raise him by a few pounds now, he is only six and this was just his sixth run over hurdles. He has plenty of potential to continue to improve.

Usually ridden forward over two miles, it appears that he has improved too for the switch to more patient tactics and the step up to the intermediate trip. He will be of interest now in a two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle or in a novices' handicap hurdle, and he should be able to cope with a step up in grade.